{{Short description|Australian mayor (1938–2022)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder | | honorific_prefix = | name = Nelson John Meers | image = Nelson John Meers Lord Mayor of Sydney 1978-1980 044234.tif | honorific_suffix = AO | caption = Meers wearing mayoral robes | order = 77th Lord Mayor of Sydney | term_start = 1978 | term_end = 1980 | deputy = | predecessor = Leo Port | successor = Doug Sutherland | order2 = | term_start2 = | term_end2 = | deputy2 = | birth_date = {{birth date|1938|1|6|df=y}} | birth_place = Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|2022|9|23|1938|1|6|df=y}} | death_place = | spouse = | party = }}
'''Nelson John Meers''', AO (6 January 1938 – 23 September 2022) was Lord Mayor of Sydney between 1978 and 1980.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/AboutSydney/HistoryAndArchives/CivicHistory/MayorsOfSydney.asp#lord_mayors_1969_1987|title=Mayors of Sydney|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100223211748/http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/AboutSydney/HistoryAndArchives/CivicHistory/MayorsOfSydney.asp#lord_mayors_1969_1987|archive-date=23 February 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He held a degree in law from the University of Sydney.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.law.usyd.edu.au/alumni/slr/slr2005oct.pdf|title=Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2005|date=Oct 2005|work=The Sydney Law School Reports|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725022422/http://www.law.usyd.edu.au/alumni/slr/slr2005oct.pdf|archive-date=25 July 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
==Biography== Meers was born on 6 January 1938.<ref>{{cite book |title=Debrett's Handbook of Australia and New Zealand |date=1984 |publisher=Debrett's Peerage |pages=625 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Debrett_s_Handbook_of_Australia_and_New/TXkZAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Nelson+Meers+1938&dq=Nelson+Meers+1938&printsec=frontcover |access-date=2 February 2025}}</ref> Elected in 1974 as an Alderman of the City of Sydney, Meers served in successive years as Chairman of Properties, Chairman of Works and Deputy Lord Mayor. Prior to his own term as Lord Mayor (which began upon the sudden death of incumbent Leo Port), Meers established an extensive commercial and defamation practice as a partner of two leading international law firms. Meers is also a past President of the Civic Reform Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weeklytimes.com.au/2005/06_june/15_06_05/story_02.htm|title=Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2005|work=The Weekly Times Online|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007235151/http://www.weeklytimes.com.au/2005/06_june/15_06_05/story_02.htm|archive-date=7 October 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He stepped down from the mayoralty in 1980; Doug Sutherland succeeded him.
In 2001 Meers, to formalise his personal tradition of philanthropic giving, founded the Nelson Meers Foundation.<ref name=nmf>{{cite web|url=http://www.nelsonmeersfoundation.org.au/nmf2006/aboutNMF.htm |title=About the Nelson Meers Foundation |year=2006 |access-date=8 Feb 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106112337/http://www.nelsonmeersfoundation.org.au/nmf2006/aboutNMF.htm |archive-date=6 January 2010 }}</ref> The Nelson Meers Foundation was the first ‘Prescribed Private Fund’ to commence operation in Australia.<ref name=nmf/> Four years later, the Foundation won the Goldman Sachs JBWere Artsupport Australia Philanthropy Leadership Award.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abaf.org.au/index.php?sectionID=1365&pageID=3810|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602054011/http://www.abaf.org.au/index.php?sectionID=1365&pageID=3810|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 June 2008|title=National Winners - AbaF Awards 2008|publisher=Australia Business Arts Foundation|access-date=8 Feb 2010}}</ref> Meers was the subject of a portrait commission by Australian sculptor Jody Pawley.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former miner’s bust of legend |work=Namoi Valley Independent |date=4 September 2007 |page=3 }}</ref> Meers died on 23 September 2022, at the age of 84.<ref name="j630">{{cite web | title=Nelson John Meers | website=Sydney's Alderman | date=31 October 2022 | url=https://www.sydneyaldermen.com.au/alderman/nelson-meers/ | access-date=10 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Nelson John Meers |url=https://ryersonindex.org/search.php |access-date=2 February 2025 |publisher=NSW Probate Index |date=7 February 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{succession box | title=Lord Mayor of Sydney | before=Leo Port | after=Doug Sutherland | years=1978-1980 }} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Meers, Nelson}} Category:1938 births Category:2022 deaths Category:20th-century mayors of places in Australia Category:Mayors and lord mayors of Sydney Category:Civic Reform Association politicians Category:Officers of the Order of Australia Category:Deputy lord mayors of Sydney